The long-awaited UN summit, which many hoped would “recognize” a Palestinian state, shattered every illusion. After a meeting between Trump and the leaders of several states — including Turkey — and discussions with Netanyahu, a so-called “peace” plan for Gaza was announced that, in reality, amounts to the burial of the Palestinians’ liberation struggle. What it offers is the continuation of occupation, of mass displacement, and of slow genocide. Given the recent intensification of bombardments, calling it anything other than a “coffin with twenty nails” for the Palestinian people would be an understatement.
The resistance — meaning the armed organizations of the Palestinian people, with Hamas now taking the lead in this phase — constitutes the only real threat not only to the Israeli occupiers but also to reactionary Arab regimes. The war will only end if the Palestinians accept the terms demanded by the Zionists and the United States. Literally with a knife to their throat and a suffocating deadline of four days — a deadline that applies only to the defeated (that is how they are treated) — Hamas is expected to accept the agreement, release all hostages, disarm, and renounce any political and military activity. If it does not, Trump will not hold back; on the contrary, he will support his ally Netanyahu and the Zionist military machine by all means so they can “do what must be done” and flatten the already devastated Gaza Strip.
But if the plan is accepted, what awaits the Palestinians? The future is vague and grim — clear to anyone who refuses to look away. Supervision and control would be exercised by an international transitional body called the “Peace Council,” chaired by Trump himself and including other international figures — among them the other international criminal, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — and certain heads of state (some of whom had talked of recognizing a free Palestinian state… supposedly in opposition to Trump?). It remains unclear if, when, or under what conditions the IDF will withdraw from the Gaza Strip. While the plan avoids using the term “Riviera,” it does provide for the creation of a “special economic zone” with privileged tariff and pricing regimes for participating countries. Experts and investors with “exciting” proposals will be invited to guarantee an earthly paradise — one that no one will be forced to leave and which will offer unlimited opportunities for profit. All of this will come on the backs of the Palestinians, on the ruins of the Gaza Strip.
The plan was welcomed by European governments. Macron, in particular, praised “Trump’s commitment to ending the war in Gaza.” Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and other Arab states greeted the plan and are preparing to play roles within it. Here the true intentions of all parties are laid bare: in a cold-blooded manner they exploited the Palestinian people — their blood, their struggles, their sacrifices — to bargain for better positions in their own rivalries. We save Abbas for last. His speech — a betrayal of the heroic Palestinian resistance dressed up as a “critique” of Hamas — stands as a monument to servility. He begs for crumbs of support from the Arab world and, above all, from the Americans. He forgets, however, that traitors are loved by no one.
The reception of the plan among Netanyahu’s coalition partners was not so enthusiastic. We tend to assume that their restraint stems from political self-interest. They accused him of recognizing a Palestinian state. Netanyahu denies having yielded. Trump apparently had to sweat to persuade him. The opposition commented that, belatedly at least, hostages would return. Whatever the case, Netanyahu will continue to face pressure from many directions — many analysts say his political end may be approaching — but for the moment he enjoys lavish U.S. support. Trump is pushing a bill through Congress for a new sale of military equipment worth $6.4 billion.
Hamas received the plan and said it would study it “in good faith,” a phrase many interpreted as a tentative acceptance. As these lines were written, no final official response had been announced. Hamas asked for more time to clarify aspects of the plan. Some reports suggest it may well reject the proposal, since it cannot accept the immediate handover of hostages and the disarmament of the movement, especially given that the Zionists will not halt military operations. The plan also contemplates a new form of occupation by the international stabilization force. Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine have already voiced objections. Whatever the decisions of the leaders above, what ultimately matters is what the people will decide sooner or later.
One clause of the plan calls for a “process of interreligious dialogue aimed at changing the mentality and rhetoric of Palestinians.” In plain language: Palestinians would not only be required to surrender their arms — they would be required to submit completely and undergo a program of brainwashing. They must forget that the Zionists stole their land and keep living in bondage. They must erase from memory the 240 dead journalists, the 1,800 dead doctors, the 66,000 officially recorded dead, and the 168,000 wounded. They must forget hunger, disease, hardship, and ongoing expulsions. They must take no notice of the ruins around them — the collapsed homes, the destroyed hospitals, the razed schools, the poisoned wells, the uprooted trees, the barren fields. Palestinians in the West Bank must demolish their own houses, accept theft, beatings, and settler terror. Mothers must accept their children starving, imprisoned, or murdered. Children must get used to the noise of drones and the bombardments. Parents must learn to bury their children; children must learn to grow up as orphans.
“In order to achieve a reasonable agreement for both sides, both sides must give something, and they may leave the table somewhat dissatisfied — but that is ultimately how we are going to end this conflict,” said White House spokesperson Leavitt. The “something” demanded by the U.S. and the Zionists is that the Palestinians give up their homeland. What people, struggling as the Palestinians have for decades, would accept that?
Russia’s Position on the Gaza Peace Plan
“Russia always supports and welcomes any efforts by Trump aimed at ending the tragedy currently unfolding,” stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov regarding Trump’s Gaza plan. He added: “And, of course, we want this plan to be implemented and to help achieve a peaceful resolution of events in the Middle East.”
Additionally, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin told Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh by phone that Russia supports “any steps that would facilitate an end to the bloodshed,” according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“The hope was expressed that the successful implementation of the new U.S. initiative would allow a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and detainees, and the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the region,” the ministry said.
Regardless of Moscow’s assessment of the viability of the plan to transform Gaza into a U.S. protectorate under entrenched Zionist occupation, their public position—disregarding even “humanitarian pretenses” or the so-called “international law” norms—reflects clear imperialist ruthlessness.
This serves as a reminder to those who continue to spread the most dangerous illusions about a “resistance axis” supposedly guided by Russia in favor of the people, or who portray a “NATO defeat” by Russian imperialism as a great hope for the salvation of nations from harsh imperialist competition.
Published in issue 993 of the Proletarian Flag